The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1887-10-05

ent, and hearty cheers greeted him as HI
stepped down from the track.
Judge Tattan was then called upon fo
an address, and spoke substantially az
follows:
II ADDRESS BY JUDGE TATTAN.
The reason for this gathering springs
from desire of our citizens to evince il
person their welcome to the Manitoba
railroad, and to demonstrate in practi
cal manner the sincerity of their express
sion. | am free to confess that I am sus
picious of knowledge of the motive
through which I have the honor to ad-
dress you, which I believe to be a desire
to avoid long speeches, and in bowing
thereto I shall be very brief in my re-
marks.
Indeed, [ doubt not that this meeting,
impromptu as it confessedly is-for many
Of us were unaware of the intention, even
at late hour this morning-in ITSELF is
the very best and strongest manifestation
of the feeling that animates us, and illus
trates more forcibly, and, certainly more
eloquently than mere words could do,
that our welcome springs from the heart,
is unconfined by municipal or commercial
etiquette and is not governed by purely
perfunctory measure.
And, indeed, this great and grand un-
dertaking whose approach we, in our
humble way, to-day celebrate, is not only
deserving of being received royalty; but
as Westerners, breathing the pure and
free air Of these mountains and inspired
with that degree of hospitality generic Of
freedom, we must concede it to be privi-
lege to be able to bid good speed to the
Manitoba system Of railroads on it's
progress to the Pacific. For, by compari-
son, it is the grandest railroad undertak
ing ever conceived upon this continent;
not solely by reason of it's magnificent
method of construction-the acme of rail
road enterprise alone by reason of
the extraordinary ability Of its construc
tors, conceded to be Of the highest order,
but chiefly, by virtue of the fact, that
without government aid of any kind, Or
in any manner bestowed, this railroad has
traversed hundreds of miles Of unoccnpied
and unpopulated country, and by doing
SO has practically solved the Indian ques-
tion in Montana, and intends to traverse
of miles more, the result of
which will be that, although stockholders
and owners of this railroad may not de-
rive any immediate return for such enter
prise, region of country, more extensive
than that trayersed by the roads aided by
government grants of lands or bonds, will
be made available for occupation by the
farmer and stoclxgrower, and thus utilized
for the common good of the whole coun
try.
The driving of particular description
Of spike to mark certain events in railroad
building is a very pleasing and suggestive
practice. Am / not right in saying that
what we do to-day has significance out
side and beyond the ordinary custom or
Apart from the fact that we
i've in section Of country whose resources
already developed are unequaled and
hose which still remain undeveloped we
believe will not be surpassed; apart from
he fact that these lines of rails, just laid,
connect us with corporation whose aim,
las been in the past, and undoubtedly
will be in the future, is to build up the
country through which their lines of road
ravel. whose officials, from the president
Iown. have. even in an unofficial manner,
~ their actions proven that such is the
entiment through which they advance the
of the property of which they
lave the control and care; and, apart from
he fact that we to-day join rail and river;
mart from all this, we have no such war
ant or similar cause for our action to-day
4 had those whose example we follow; we
re not actually or nominally at the be
.;nnino of any branch or division, nor are
re al the end of any part or fraction Of
nv railroad system; nor are we called up
n to unite or join a road working from
10Th ends; and, therefore, am justified,
submit, in saying that the oc-
aston Of our meeting is unique; that the
;ndino Of these rails by voluntary ac L